


Mock-Up (Trembling)

by blindtaleteller



Series: Platovember Prompts 2020 [21]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Abandonment, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt, M/M, Multi, Original Character(s), Past Relationship(s), Surprises, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:01:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28027446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blindtaleteller/pseuds/blindtaleteller
Summary: Three days after the New York invasion, Tony experiences his first panic attack. And not in his sleep or thinking about what he saw on the other side of the portal; no. The trigger? A parked car. An impossibly rare, all too familiar car he hasn't seen in over a decade; and had almost given up on ever seeing again...
Relationships: Loki & Tony Stark, Loki/Tony Stark, frostiron, platonic - Relationship
Series: Platovember Prompts 2020 [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1999015
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15
Collections: Frostiron (loki/tony), Loki, Platonic Relationships, Prompted Writing





	Mock-Up (Trembling)

**Author's Note:**

> Once I started putting Flyk out for these prompts, the rest of the Barton triplets started to speak up a lot more clearly; and I knew when I started on -him:- I'd have to keep going with the trio of angst-riddled sassy archers universes and represent each of their universes at least once. Barton himself doesn't make an appearance in this particular short, but he will in those upcoming that peek into D11.
> 
> Universe/Door 11 (Between Lisan and Laufeyson's universes) is one of the few that starts it's divergence a -lot- sooner than the majority; prior even to the original Iron Man flick that kicked off the MCU story line. That said, this particular short is probably about a quarter to a third of the way through their story; catching up with D11's Tony in the aftermath of New York, just as they're getting started on the cleanup and rebuild for the city and the Avengers Tower.
> 
> This was another one I was saving and planning for after looking at the list, and I didn't want to throw any of the rest of this universe out there prior to having it down. Having three of my four loudest and most intense core muses (Tony, Clint, Loki, and Quill) at the center of it all makes this universe one of my favorites, even if I haven't peeked at everything they're building for me there yet myself.
> 
> The marks in relationships are for past and existing relationships only at this stage, which you'll figure out pretty fast as you read. Original character is tagged solely for Joshua as a supporting character in their universe who is just that: an OC I made for storytelling purposes along these lines. 
> 
> PS -- Why is there no abandonment issues tag that isn't attached to a specific character???? Aish.
> 
> Anyways! Hope you enjoy it..!

  * IDENTIFY LOCATION: BELLOWS - DIMENSIONAL IDENTIFICATION CONFIRMED : HVRA0616-9H-11
  * \---INTER-UNIVERSAL DOORWAY ENTRY POINT H11 : OBSERVATIONAL STATUS - TVA INTERFERENCE : _NONE DETECTED_
  * \----MIDGARD NORTHERN HEMISPHERE : NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT : VISITATION CAUTIONS _ADVISED_ : MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY
  * \------KNOWN DOMESTIC TIME VARIANCE : 12: 34 PM US EST : MAY 16TH, 2012



##  ** -={[MOCK-UP]}=- **

Take out in hand, fresh out of his favorite Chinese place standing almost at their front door busy as all hell, surrounded by people -- mostly rescue workers only in this area where they were still cleaning up after the invasion: and he couldn't hear a _damned thing_ over the hammering pulse in his ears that went with the shattering of his brain from that one glance back. Not the best place, and not the best time; to break down. But Tony was. Breaking down. Right there, on the sidewalk. Stuck and struck in the middle of that second look, the double take: deaf and blind and dumb and about to drop their lunch to the cement for how hard his hands were trying to tremble. Were, trembling, as the make and that shiny custom paint job sunk in.

Exactly how he remembered it; and with the hood down, that was not _just_ the dark plum color and _impossible_ make: he could see it wasn't _just_ a facsimile, _or_ a repainted fluke. **_No._** Likewise? Custom dark red interior; refurbished with real leather. His eyes clasped hard onto the spot the driver's side sun-visor was keeping from his view.

_Gotta know. Have to fucking know.._

Almost sixteen years later, maybe; spotting this particular car? Still had Tony Stark immediately tense as it registered and having to tighten his fingers hard enough to turn his knuckles white in the attempt not to drop the bag. Which failed anyway when he was just a few steps in alongside, and that embellished double snake stamp was just there; " _...fuck me..._ " almost squeaked out at it _actually really_ _**and** honestly_ being there: _right_ at the top of the inset seats, _just_ like he remembered. And _instantly,_ had him gripping his hair with both hands looking around like the man he knew owned it might be in sight, fingers rubbing back through his hair to try and massage his brain back into working. _Because he was about to lose his god damned mind._

He spotted Hill in her _'I'm tailing you in this **totally** conspicuous it's **so** inconspicuous sedan,'_ instead in the fast pass and jerking turn; and _didn't give a shit_ : compared to trying to spot the tall and gorgeous dirty blond he was looking for. _Full three sixty._ In _both_ directions, one after the other. _Nothing._

_Breathe, god dammit!_ Because nothing but shiny purple metallic and polished classic chrome right there next to him, and his heart jumping up into his throat again and making it squeak when his eyes landed on the passenger seat; or rather the gloves sitting in them. **_His._** _Oh fuck,_ and _yes: definitely his!_ Fingerless drivers with open knuckles and red palms that matched the inside job he'd fussed about and over for almost a week alone when they'd been putting it together.

 _OCD on aesthetics sunnova bitch!_ The one picked seam at the corner of the right-hand thumb. Too familiar. _It was definitely his._ He had to be out of his fucking mind, coming back to New York. Either that or, in trying to pretend he hadn't been on his way after the face to face sixty eight floors up; _Tony_ was. Instantly and on that touch of thought; said breaking _\--okay no-- **broken**_ , brain was making excuses.

Because he was right, _right?_ They _could_ just look alike.

Loki was centuries; over a millennia old; visited the planet before: maybe he even _got it on_ somewhere way back in Wrath's family tree.

Maybe that was _where_ the abandoned title came from, in some way back weird European hand me down? Made more sense than... _than..._

Than him _being_ that guy _and_ his college buddy, an insanely skilled S.A.S. agent and one-time, _one and only **ever**_ boyfriend.

_**Right?** Fluke. **Had** to be._

**_No way Aaron was actually Loki._**

And, back in New York three measly days; after he'd opened a hole in the sky Tony had thrown a nuke into to close up.

Before he'd just _...backstepped and tipped himself,_ right out the _same_ window he'd thrown Tony out of head and shoulders first: and _literally disappeared._

_Yeah, okay. Deep breath, Stark._

Because it really _did_ have to be. Because _Loki_ was smarter than that. Because Aaron..? _God that really **was** their car;_ and because _it was;_ Aaron probably had a _really good_ reason to be here.

**Shield!** Had to be it, and _Shield_ _worked_ with British intelligence. Was _half founded_ with it after forty five, right? _That's right Tony! Pick up the take out and remember Steve:_ and especially remember Peggy Carter. Wrath was probably just here to.. work with Shield..?

_Please, let that be it. He just looks like Aaron. Or Aaron just looks like him. Please if there's a fucking god, let that be the thing here._

_Don't fucking do this to me on top of aliens and riding a nuke into space and almost getting my stupid ass stuck on the other side and dead._

_I'd rather he came here after a year and brief blip to chew me out for it than the other thing._

He had to be in one of the buildings here; was examining them trying to figure out which one when he _did remember to check his phone_ for the time; that Pepper was waiting on that takeout back at the Tower: and the paranoid part of him.. the part that he _really hoped_ was wrong and praying he was right and not delusional: had him moving for Hill's car fast and on automatic even as he was speed-dialing her number: eyes locked onto the almost black paint-job still, like it would disappear if he looked away for more than a second or two.

" Hey _you,_ get caught up chatting with the firefighters again..? " with a smile behind it as he was taking a shaky breath working his way towards Hill at a fast side-step he was so unwilling to let that car out of his sight didn't get an answer right away or in the next forty seconds as his brain skipped over the freak out again combined with how to tell her. How to let her know what his eyes were latched onto; or at least actually form the words outside of the hundred car pile up of thoughts and _instantly_ _on fire_ bundle of intense memories and anxieties, _and_ hurt and waiting and _hoping he wasn't dead and **just** ...so much **more**_ in his _royally screwed_ brain right now. Which he knew immediately had Pepper a little concerned with her tone as the slence and probably the uneven pace of his breath registered for her. " _..Tony?_ "

_Words. You usually have some, motor mouth. You're freaking Pep out more than she's about to be. Spit, them; out._ " Yeah _sorry.._ Pep, _uhm._ " he tried to even out his voice from the shakes, heard the slow of hers and quiet as she turned down the volume on the television marking it. " I'm gonna be honest; this _might freak you out,_ a little. " probably wasn't the best way to start either but; with this: with this one thing, he'd promised to be honest and didn't dare try not to be. " I'm not, coming home right away. " managed as he knocked on Hill's window. She looked equal parts annoyed she'd been made and confused slash concerned for the wild wreck he probably looked. " I'm gonna send agent Hill back with the takeout -- here, please; _take this_ will ya, before I drop it again. " and surprised to get that and the bag all but shoved in her face when as soon as she had cracked the window he was pushing it in.

" What's going on? Did they find him? _Tell me_ you aren't- "

" _**No** -it's-weirder-than-that;_ " rushed out as almost a single word cutting Pepper short before he hissed in a breath to continue staring at the back end of that pretty dark purple paint job. " Pep.. I found, _uhm;_ a metallic plum, _**fifty seven** Jaguar XKSS._ With red leather interior. " And yeah, she got it: _immediately. Dead silent. Can't even hear a breath over the line._

" ...I think he's here to work with Shield, _maybe._ " He knew Hill was staring at him, knew Pepper was internally screaming, freaking out on the other end; maybe hyperventilating; maybe knocked as flat or as far as he was and with that pair of sentences and fewer good things; and _zero hope to it_ up in the Tower. Knew _she_ knew, what he was going to say next, _even if_ the little bit Pepper might have? Was her probably _really_ hoping Tony _wasn't_ going to say it anyway as he had the sudden _need_ to just squat _right there_ alongside Hill's driver side and _breathe in_ again, in order ** _to_** say it. Came out as panicked, or at _least near enough to_ a panic attack as he thought he could get at the moment. Scratch that. Pretty sure he _was_ having one.

He hadn't been anywhere near that car, hadn't even _seen_ it since ..ninety eight..? And stepping away from it, even empty as it was and parked, was _hard._ " It's _definitely_ him Pep. Same _snakes_ on the seats. His _damn gloves_ are sitting in the passenger side.. I gotta look. "

" Tony. " he knew the plea there in his ear, the expectation it was going to be another letdown in long list of hundreds since way before he'd even hired her; long before he'd been kidnapped; over a decade, prior to building that first suit: before she got it out. " _Please, **don't.**_ "

" I _got, to; **look.**_ " was, _god damn it;_ sniffed back on the repeat.

He was _not going to **cry** ,_ in the middle of the street. He was _not._ Tony had to rub the words out of one side of his face, and try to ignore Hill frowning down at the top of his head from his right probably debating on getting out to check him or calling Fury, or trying to do both quietly out of his line of sight while _he_ was trying to keep it together and keep from doing _exactly_ that and devolving into a full on breakdown right then and there.

The words came out quicker than he intended but, the concentration was on the not freaking out further. " You know I have to. How many assistants did I fire _before you,_ 'cause they _faked_ looking for it after a couple tries? _How many parking lots_ I make _you_ go through, at _every single_ European Expo and _then some,_ **_before_** we were; an _us?_ " Silence, on the other end. He could almost see her folding her lips in and pressing them together to keep from asking him not to again anyways. " I told you since didn't I babe? _I can't._ If it's him, I just can't _not_ grab on and look for him. "

Shorter quiet, but noticeable. The time it took her to unfold them again and try to even out her own voice " _I know._ " almost as, quiet; and on a very obviously _\--to him--_ emotional sigh on the other end. Still _more_ put together than he was on his squat half leaning against Hill's door, the same.

Quiet yet again in between, and he could guess he was right before Pep said anything else into the phone. " I get it. Thanks, for telling me. " Definitely freaking out, and somehow still --if shakily-- supportive. He did _not deserve_ the woman on the other end. Made him feel like an asshole of enormous proportions because he was ten times more aware of it right that second. He could hear the disappointment, and the expectations there. The idea he might fly off the handle again, go on another month-long bender in isolation if it wasn't; _and_ the idea other things might happen or _not_ happen if it was.

And it was. He knew it was. " I'm _**sorry** baby._ If.. " breath out, and breathe back in. _Calm down._ Car was still there. Parked solidly in front of the tea shop next door to the Chinese place. " If I can, I'll bring him _home..?_ No guarantees with his particular job but.. it's possible if he's _here,_ in the disaster zone? _No way_ he's under cover if he's using the Jag. "

That last got Hill's attention to sharpen as he pulled up the fortitude to snag her door at the still open window and stand up again and pat along her window; a brief, apologetic smile as he yanked his whirling internal pieces together again: and Pepper answered. " You do that. Reminder, though: I owe that man a good slap. " He knew what for. Didn't have to ask, and didn't argue. Just took a breath while she ended the call from her end on her own.

One look; catching sight of one car, and he was in so much trouble. " _Agent Hill..?_ "

" I'm not supposed to leave you. " from Maria was indicator Tony was about to maybe, make it a little worse.

" I'm a big boy, with big guns on call; in the middle of a quardoned off disaster zone. Full of emergency and rescue crews, and _a whole lot_ of agents. _Including_ the guy that drives that car: who ... if he sees _me_ and then you _tailing me.._ will probably come at you in a _very_ not nice, way. "

" Are you saying he'd _threaten_ me? "

" Probably yes, though _probably not_ the way you're thinking? If only because he's _notoriously_ protective of me; to the point he got himself in some shit with his handler last time: makes a living between the S.A.S. and S.I.S. as one of their best spy hunters over the last fifteen years; " managed to shove her eyebrows up somewhere into the roof of her Dodge. " and so _being_ a spy, and in my personal experience with the very few times I've _seen him_ on the job in the middle east _and_ out west? He _will_ see you. ..Pretty freakin' fast. And _immediately_ be on Nick's other eye like a rabid raccoon when he pegs you just as a start, which again; _he will:_ especially tagging me in a secured zone? "

And the fact he _wasn't_ bullshitting, was registering. Slowly, for such a smart girl; but it _was_ registering from what he saw; between Tony's fast, half fidgeting in place glances to the Jag's bumper and back. " I'll have to .. phone it in, okay; but that matches up with the order to prep up to debrief associated intelligence. Nick's going to want to know more though; I can guarantee that. " had him pulling in a breath. So and yes, S.I.S. had their hands in the clean up and dissection pot too?

" Call it in around the corner for me so he _doesn't_ hit rawr mode and cause a scene in front of the civilian crews piling in for lunch? I haven't... I haven't, laid eyes on him for a _while_ , but he's **_always_** been paranoid about his interest past and present _being_ an interest to _other_ agencies. " confused and made her more suspicious all at once and he saw it.

So Tony followed it up fast with the glazed-over explanation he was most comfortable with, as quickly as he could. " Okay. _Look;_ you heard the phone call: so, _yes._ It's _personal,_ okay? And.. I just handed an excuse for you to meet him through your window when I try to bring him home anyways? " Seemed to hit well enough as she glanced over at the take out he'd pushed on her. " Take Pep, and the almond chicken; hang out _and_ eat with her please? She's gonna be _in a **mood..**_ and; if you _really want_ some extra answers I _really **can't** handle_ doling out right now, from the girlfriend perspective: _probably_ pissed enough, to spill what she knows. Which is _almost everything:_ so, double bonus. "

Hill _was_ a nice lady, for a kick-ass Shield agent. Most would have shut him down _right_ there and said no. But she'd heard him, saw him clearly just now; and was looking right at him when he asked, bare-faced and without even a white lie to it when he genuinely pleaded " Please. _Just_ this once; I _promise.._ I just need some time _alone_ with him to deal myself; _before_ I drag him into the verbal firing range for you. **_And,_** the slap he's _definitely_ gonna get from Pepper. _Please?_ " He could see she was on her way to yes before he'd even finished his promise; and started stepping back towards the back end of the Jaguar he was all too hyper aware of in it's parking space.

She was pulling out of the spot, slowing down to ask him on his way " You're _sure_ it's this guy? " got Tony blowing out a nervous breath because " That's a nineteen fifty seven Jaguar XKSS. The factory that built them went up in smoke after a fire did in the whole line being finished. If it _isn't_ him? That's an _eight million plus dollar car_ sitting right there, Hill. " He was pretty sure she had almost choked on her own spit at the figure. She'd definitely tapped the brakes. " There's only sixteen of them in the world. Seventeen.... if you count the one mock-up he and I built in College as a fuck you to our engineering professor, _sitting right there_ in that parking spot. So yeah, _yeah: I'm sure_ it's him. Wrath'd take a _bullet_ to the _face,_ before he sold that car. "

He didn't look, didn't have to when she pulled past him: and kept going around the corner. Though Tony did notice in his peripherals as he pulled his phone from his back pocket again and fiddled with it to text Happy to come and pick up his Acura, that she was already on her _own phone_ when she turned the corner. Probably calling Nick. Or Barton. Or Natasha. Or all of the above.

_Probably all of the above._ And of course she was. Aaron was an unknown element they'd once asked but hadn't known about in full or figured as important past his own neurotic nature and probably his own classic car collection in Malibu. He'd been more than happy to not touch or tell too; for a lot of reasons. Including his currently _barely_ winding down _\--a little--_ freak out mode.

Which, Tony was now left alone with; alongside the polished black, chrome and dark purple shine of an absolutely _perfect,_ self-made mock-up of a twenty one million dollar car.

He paused just briefly at the passenger door, looking down at the gloves waiting there for their owner; and picked them up with his left while his right scrolled frantically through his apps to try and find something that would occupy Tony's mind and his hands while he waited: well enough to keep them from shaking anyway. Knew the door was locked even with the hood down well and without even trying it, nudged his ass up over the downed window and half hopped, half slid it back into the inset, crescent cushion.

And immediately, lost half of his freak out; as he settled down and back into it: with no intention to get out or want to once he had. His head registered that, even over the care he took to try and erase it; he could faintly smell the fact Aaron was still smoking those shitty, two dollar a pack, filtered baby cigars. He was half tempted to pull his fingers from his phone and the game of tetris he'd started to check and see if he still kept the extra pack of crap-tastic tobacco in the glove box, _just_ to throw them at his big dumb dirty gingery-blond head when ever he appeared to reclaim their precious purple baby. But he had a feeling he'd just end up fixating all over again and way, too soon.

'Cause, Tony had words; to say to the man.

Words Wrath would probably smile that _heart melting_ smile, or make that _'I'm sorry,'_ and _'I been caught, haven't I'_ broken puppy dog face at him with those gorgeous silvery blue eyes to try and soften them up.

Because that's what he always did. And because it always, always worked on Tony.

Mostly; because he _always, **always**_ meant it.

And he _always_ had a _**really** good_ reason, for sporting those looks.

Like he was when Tony looked up, and caught a faceful of him standing there. Six, seven feet away; jacket in hand: brows in together and up: staring at him from the other side of the bumper, with exactly that kind of kicked in the stomach tension from the fast tick of his jaw, all the way down the faded blue vee neck tee clinging to him between the press of his shoulder holster, past the hard white-knuckled grip on that bomber jacket in his left hand and the keys gripped in his right where the bag from the tea shop was hanging off his wrist; into trim hips and long legs wrapped up in well-fit tactical cargos Tony knew _way better_ than he knew any _other_ man on the planet had a right to _if_ he'd kept his word.

He hadn't changed, hardly at all. A few scratches that barely registered at the moment told him he'd either been in town when it happened or had probably done his own hero bit since and helped since he got in? Which was so very much, like Aaron; but fuck and no, he hadn't changed a bit otherwise. Tall, lean, fit; eyes that could melt anyone's panties --including Tony's-- and nope. He hadn't changed any more in the last year plus than the car had. As it was? He was sporting not one or the other, but a combination of both looks, staring at him probably the same way Tony had been staring at the Jag when it had given the shock to his heart seeing it sitting here.

" Aaron; wha-- _oh._ " from a completely different source that hadn't registered as anything but one of the blurry lunch mob heading for one of the few restaurants open, just because it had passed inspection by the Fire Marshals and belonged to a cop's brother who, was handing out free meals to the recovery teams as his way of support. Suit, somewhere between his and Aaron's height registered before the fact that Wrath was just as quickly backed by six more; all open-agent-in-business-mode dress and packing sidearms? Snapped him most of the way out of it as the brunette next to him came into focus: staring at him with a line for a mouth that implied he didn't just know who Tony was: he knew who Tony was, to Wrath.

Five count, of meeting that much grey-eyed look; and the redhead let out a breath swatting down another, probably greener agent's hand; and the slightest tilt of an irish accent became a thing Tony was aware of when he started again with " Go, get the car. " at the other six got them moving along, eyes dragging back to Tony for a moment, definitely considering something and definitely looking like he was going to regret it with the squint he briefly aimed at the New York skyline before he addressed Wrath next. " ...I'll throw the timeline back; " got both Tony's and Wrath's attention in that almost flat tone. " give you a little extra time, ta have it out with 'im before we drop it in Fury's face, as planned. "

" How long? " and god, he had to grip his phone in his lap just hearing his voice again, and not just because he'd missed it. Because, just those two words; delivered like that: sounded again too close to a man from another world he'd argued with in way too similar tones three days ago, before he'd been thrown shoulders first out of his own penthouse window. " Half an hour? I'd give you more, but we already told 'em we're on the way. "

Head? Already spinning. His heel was tempted to bounce off the floor mat under it. But everything stilled, when Aaron blew a breath through hsi nose, nodding and identified the guy for him with " Thanks, Joshua... " before he was starting at a slow gait for the driver's seat.

" Joshua? " called out from Tony's own mouth, put a stop to the irish mid-turn. Had his brows up. And Tony was briefly at a halt as to what exactly to say to the handler that had saved Wrath's ass from the fire enough times to be a household name for them, when they'd been a household. " ..never met you but; I need to say thank you. For Afganistan, and Budapest. " sent his dark brows up, and his mouth briefly, slightly agape flashing a look between Tony and Aaron. " So.. thanks. Seriously, for watching his ass. I owe you..? "

Deep, semi annoyed long breath in from said irish, a fast hand back through his hair showing he wasn't really so much a brunette as just a _really dark_ shade of redhead that was well past auburn when it caught the mid-day sunlight: reminded Tony that neither of those were things he was technically supposed to know about. And didn't particularly give one, never mind two fucks about just then. " Going ta have ta remind you of that, later; when I gotta ask the details, about both a those... _but._ Back atcha mate, for the discretion I'm guessin' you kept. "

" I'd never endanger Aaron like that; _or_ the rest of your boys. " was snapped out fast and honest while Wrath started at unlatching the hood first with the intent of pulling it up, the briefest pause there: before Joshua offered him a stiff but earnest smile and made off out of sight past the van parked next to them, reminding Aaron. " Thirty extra minutes, that's all I can give ya; Loke. Get outta sight if you want a minute or five more. They'll be on ye like white on rice after, even if it is just paranoia and surveillance. "

And yeah that last bit of the comment from Joshua especially, combined with the number of openly armed agents; the fact Wrath didn't put his own gun into the glove box when he took his seat or before he put the key to the ignition hit hard. More so for the fact that as Tony's heart rate jumped up with the silence when they were backing out; and Wrath's face was turned his way looking back over the seat to accomplish it without potentially hitting a pedestrian? He was able to focus on and get a much closer look at the scratches and minor bruises there.

_Oh god._

They were the same.

_Oh, fuck. No..._

They were ** _exactly,_** the same as when he'd stepped backwards out that window.

_Patched up_ over the last three days; but the _same._ " _....you; son of a bitch._ " Breaking in and crashing down inside along with the crack and tremble wracking Tony's throat; because _fuck **me.**_ _And fucking **damn you** and the use of that kicked puppy face..!_ The easy stop of motion when they were turned out on the otherwise mostly empty road, and shit if Tony didn't have to wonder if he was going to crack his phone screen in the death grip he had it in. " ....was Wrath _**ever** even real?_ "

The bigger crack watching that look shift to the other one he knew. The kind where Aaron.. nope, not Aaron you dumb shit. Loki: was about to tell him something that was going to one part piss him off, the other part disappointment when he met his eyes. " The name was not. " a breath. He sounded too even again. Like he was when he knew he was in trouble, and _actually sounding and looking like he cared;_ which didn't make it better either. " I've been using different versions, and combinations _of_ it on Midgard.. for about, eight hundred years. "

Internal screaming? _Re-engaged._ At _**whole** new, **record breaking** levels_ of loud and consistent. Stark had to jerk his eyes away from that look. _Not,_ going to cry in _their fucking car_ with so many people around, _either._ " _Mother **fucker..**_ " barely sputtered it's way out from under Tony's breath. As usual? He was petty fast at the too relaxed and smooth tones for Tony not to notice just how tense he was too; and _god damn it_ Tony _didn't want_ to know that right then. " Everything _else, was._ " Nope. _Didn't help._ Didn't fucking help _at all._

" **So.** " as they came to the corner Hill had disappeared around, and was no where near being in sight of by now. Not stiff enough. Tony was shaking. Trembling, hard. Right there on the edge of exploding. " ..should I call you _Loki,_ then? "

A few seconds of long, tense silence waiting through the light, Tony staring at the glove box. " If that's, what you want. "

No more hesitation, he dropped the phone, yanked the thing open; and couldn't help the little cry that started the tears bowling down his face when he found the cigars exactly where he knew he would to chuck them at and bounce off the side of his head.

They landed somewhere on the floor at Wra-- _Loki's,_ feet; right alongside the rest of Tony's insides while he jerked back into the red leather again and tried really hard; to pull them back in.

_Damn you._

_**Damn you.**_

_Stupid, God._

**Author's Note:**

> Odd historical note: The Jagaur XKSS is a real car, with a true history here. With only 16 originally made (and yes, the factory did actually suffer a fire two years later while they were still in production:) and still very limited total number of 25 planned for production that was stopped at 16 due to, that fire.
> 
> In 2016, fifty nine years after the line met it's tragic end with that fire; Jaguar decided to finally finish the remaining 9 cars to the racing D-class two-seater. Which still remains one of the rarest and most sought after classic cars in the world to date: with prices ranging from 7.5 million dollars, to 21 million dollars a vehicle.


End file.
